It is known in vehicles to provide an armrest in a door having an integrated pull cup to allow the occupant to pull the door shut. According to the known arrangement, the pull cup, typically composed of a molded plastic, is anchored to the vehicle door inner panel by a variety of fasteners and, in some arrangements, by snap-fittings as well. In addition to being anchored to the vehicle door inner panel, the pull cup is also solidly connected to the armrest substrate, also by either mechanical fasteners, snap-fittings, or both.
The known approach to anchoring the pull cup to both the vehicle door inner panel as well as the armrest substrate provides a good degree of lateral door function to the vehicle occupant while opening and, particularly, closing the door. However, as in so many areas of vehicle technology, there is room in the art of vehicle interior door design for providing an alternative configuration which will strengthen door pull cup and armrest design overall without compromising lateral door function.